Modular Cycling Shoe and Sole Designed For The Same

ABSTRACT

The invention is that of a removable shoe sole and a cycling shoe comprising said removable shoe sole, wherein the removable shoe sole may be affixed to the bottom of the cycling shoe to enable the wearer to gain traction on surfaces such as muddy ground surfaces. The removable shoe sole may be unitary or modular in design and comprises traction means such as anterior, medial and posterior traction means for enabling a cyclist to quickly affix the removable shoe sold to the bottom of his or her cycling shoes and walk or run across ground surfaces having low traction. The traction means may comprise ridges and valleys or similar means for engaging low-traction ground surfaces. The removable shoe sole may be made of durable material and affixed to a cycling shoe using off-the-shelf fasteners such as will be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the priority date of U.S. Provisional Patent App. Ser. No. 63/007,694, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

The invention described herein was conceived and reduced to practice without the benefit of federal funding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of footwear, and in particular footwear for cyclists having a need for shoes with good traction on slippery surfaces, such as cyclist participants in cyclo-cross racing. Cyclo-cross racing is a form of bicycle racing that requires racers to dismount at various stages of a race and carry their bicycles for some distance before remounting and continuing on the bicycles. During the muddy season, there is a need in the art for better footwear traction, as traditional cycling shoes do not provide for this due to their major purpose being to provide locking mechanisms for bicycle pedals to allow cyclists to maximize the transmission of power to the wheels. This lack of means for providing traction when a cyclo-cross race is on foot on muddy terrain results in slippage and risk of injury.

Current solutions to this problem come in the form of different shoe options with means for supplying varying degrees of traction to the soles, but no current solution on the market allows for soles or components or sections thereof to be swapped out for better traction as conditions warrant. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to allow for greater versatility in selecting the appropriate amount of traction by way of providing modular sole and cleat systems that may be used interchangeably with cycling shoes while retaining the ability of the cycling shoes to lock into place in the bicycle pedals.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a modular cycling shoe, and more particularly a unitary or modular sole that is quickly and easily removable and capable of reattachment to a cycling shoe in order to provide the user with a desired amount of traction. A shoe sole as described herein may be selected based on the types of traction means such as spikes or cleats, in each case temporarily or permanently affixed to the bottom of the sole, with varying degrees of traction being provided by varying spike or cleat designs. It is a further object of the present invention to allow a user, a cyclist for example, to dismount from a bicycle and quickly attach a sole according to the present invention to the bottom of a cycling shoe in order to allow for a desired amount of traction for the cyclist for walking or running over a various ground surfaces, including low-traction surfaces such as muddy surfaces.

A modular shoe sole as described herein may comprise anterior, medial and posterior sections made from suitable materials to achieve the intended purpose of providing selectable levels of traction to cyclists for use after dismounting, all while allowing for reengagement of the shoe to which the sole is affixed with a bicycle pedal via a temporary locking mechanism of the shoe and pedal, as will be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art. A traction means of a sole as described herein comprises at least one and preferably multiple gripping mechanisms such as cleats and the like, suitable for selecting a desired traction and stability of a cyclist when off-cycle, for example, on slippery terrain such as muddy ground. It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the mounting and dismounting of a cyclist onto and off of a bicycle, respectively, while allowing the cyclist to easily run or walk across slippery terrain while maintaining the ability to quickly reengage with the bicycle by locking in a shoe as described herein to a bicycle pedal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary shoe sole in exploded view according to an embodiment of the present invention, with anterior, medial and posterior sections, each having means for receiving gripping means of various types, adaptable to ground surfaces allowing for various amounts of traction.

FIG. 2 shows an example of gripping means according to the present disclosure, capable of permanent or removable attachment to a shoe sole according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention of the present disclosure enables a modular shoe by providing a removable sole that allows a wearer to select a sole for attachment to the shoe having a traction means suitable for a ground surface upon which the wearer intends to walk or run. A unitary or modular sole as described herein is removably attachable to a cycling shoe while still allowing for engagement of the shoe with the pedal of a bicycle, allowing the wearer to quickly and easily alternate between cycling and walking or running on the ground surface with adequate traction to prevent slippage, falling and injury. It is an object of the present invention to provide multiple sole designs to account for various types of locking mechanisms that allow cycling shoes to lock into bicycle pedals, as will be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to a preferred embodiment of a removable shoe sole 101 according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 in exploded view 100, anterior traction means 102, medial traction means 103 and posterior traction means are provided. Each traction means as described herein may be in the form of at least one cleat, spike or other similar attachment permanently or removably affixed to the bottom of at least one of an anterior, medial or posterior section of a shoe sole as described herein. In certain embodiments a traction means comprising at least one such temporary or permanent fixture may be fashioned from resilient material such as carbon, graphite, thermoplastic and the like. In certain embodiments, such traction means may be inserted or fastened into a sole of the present invention, the sole being fashioned from more pliable material such as rubber, neoprene or the like. In certain embodiments, a shoe sole 101 as described herein may include two or more modules, such as anterior, medial or posterior modules, which may comprise different types of traction means from module to module, allowing for versatility in dealing with different types of terrain.

In certain embodiments, a shoe sole as described herein is designed with various insertion points for traction means such as spikes or cleats according to the present invention. In certain embodiments, the insertion points may comprise an anterior, medial or posterior insertion points or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, individual insertion points may correspond to an individual traction means such as a cleat or spike. In other embodiments, a traction means may be in the form of a cluster of cleats or spikes corresponding to an insertion point on a shoe sole capable of receiving the cluster of cleats or spikes on the bottom of a shoe sole.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, each traction means may be affixed to a removable shoe sole according to the present disclosure by providing sleeves 120 of like size and shape to the various corresponding insertion points of the various traction means and may be of a length substantially similar to the depth of each insertion point. Several screws 110 may then be snap-locked or threaded into corresponding sleeves 120 and into the insertion points of the removable shoe sole 101. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, each of the screws 110 may be affixed to the removable shoe sole 101 at the insertion points and held firm to the sole by way of threads, tension, or other comparable mechanical means.

Still, on other embodiments a sole of the present invention, whether in unitary or modular form, may comprise permanent traction means such as cleats or spikes that may be fabricated as part of the sole, not removable therefrom. This may be achieved using existing manufacturing technologies such as molding or adhesion.

In certain embodiments, a shoe sole of a modular shoe as described herein may be fabricated from rubber, carbon or any other suitable material, and a base may be configured with attachment points for the sole, whether a modular sole or a sole in unitary form. In one embodiment, a shoe base may be fabricated of carbon while an attachable sole may be fabricated of an upper layer of rubber and lower layer of carbon, to allow for flexibility near the toe area of the shoe as may be desired for walking, jogging or running. In another embodiment, a base of a modular shoe as described herein may be fabricated of carbon while an attachable sole may be fabricated of rubber. In another embodiment, a base may be fabricated of rubber while an attachable sole may be fabricated of an upper layer of carbon and lower layer of rubber. These possibilities are introduced by way of example only and are not to be construed as limitations as to the possible materials and possible number of layers of each material selected, as will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

In certain embodiments, a sole of a modular shoe as described herein is equipped with attachment points for removable attachment to a shoe base, enabling the rapid engagement and disengagement of the sole from the shoe base. A shoe base as referred to herein means the bottom or base part of a shoe, such as a cycling shoe. In certain embodiments, an engagement means may comprise T-nuts 110 each corresponding to a collar 120 located on a base of a modular shoe as contemplated herein. A modular shoe of the present disclosure is further equipped with a means for keeping a foot of a wearer securely and removably within the shoe, such as may be selected from the group consisting of laces and hook-and-loop fasteners.

It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, to provide a unitary or modular sole that may be attached, removed and reattached in a “snap-on, snap-off” fashion, or “slide-on, slide-off” fashion. It is an object of the present invention to enable a cyclist, for example, to quickly and seamlessly attach, remove and reattach a shoe sole with traction means as described herein from a shoe base of a shoe, particularly a cycling shoe, all while allowing for a cycling shoe to reengage with a locking mechanism of a bicycle pedal.

In certain embodiments, a traction means comprising at least one of a cleat or spike such as are illustrated in FIG. 2 may be inserted into an appropriate section of a sole of a modular shoe as described herein via insertion points, adding still more versatility to the design. In one embodiment, an insertion means may comprise a bolt such as an M5 bolt as will be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art, for insertion through a traction means and into a corresponding insertion point such as at least one T-nut through a surrounding collar, as will also be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art. In certain embodiments, a bolt and T-nut configuration may comprise engagement means such as threads or equivalent for holding a traction means firmly in place beneath the sole of a modular shoe as described herein. Other possible configurations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, such as a slotted nut or flange nut tapping directly into the sole, although the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various engagement means will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring to FIG. 2, an anterior cleat 202, medial cleats 203 and posterior cleats 204 are illustrated as an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Engagement of cleats as shown in FIG. 2 is made possible by configuring each cleat with ridges 210 and valleys 211 that allow the cleat to grip ground having poor traction such as muddy ground surfaces. Other configurations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The possible configurations and materials for use with the present invention are numerous and may be selected based on usability, expected product life and other factors. For example, embodiments comprising reciprocal threads of traction means such as cleats or spikes and insertion points of a sole as described herein may confer the ability to more easily replace parts that have been subjected to significant wear and tear and select from a wide range of materials for fabrication, such as metals, fiberglass and thermoplastics. There is also a desire to employ an attachment means on the the upper surface of the sole which remains flush with the upper surface of the shoe base when the sole is attached thereto so as not to protrude into the interior of the shoe and cause discomfort to a wearer.

In addition to a traction means being selectable from multiple materials and configurations, the location of insertion points about the lower surface of a sole of a modular shoe of the present invention may be selected from several possible locations. FIG. 1 shows but one example of possible locations on an exemplary removable shoe sole 101 where insertion points for traction means could be located. One of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate that individual insertion points could be contained in clusters containing two or more insertion points to avoid the time-consuming need to thread or otherwise attach multiple individual cleats or spikes, for example, piece by piece. A shoe sole as described herein may comprise slots or the like through which engagement means on the bottom surface of a cycling shoe base may be passed to enable engagement with a corresponding engagement means on a bicycle pedal. One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the representation in FIG. 1 is but one of many possibilities, and that a sole of a modular shoe as described herein may be configured to accommodate various types of engagement means or locking means, between cycling shoes and pedals as are currently commercially available.

To further illustrate the cluster concept with respect to the clustering of individual cleats, spikes or the like within a traction means, FIG. 2 represents some example embodiments. The examples show that clusters may contain two or more individual traction means such as cleats or spikes corresponding to spatially aligned receiving insertion points on a sole for a modular shoe as described herein. The perspective views of FIG. 2 illustrate further that a gripping cluster itself, in addition to having multiple sites for individual cleats or spikes, may further comprise a gripping topography capable of providing additional traction to a wearer, such as ridges 210 and valleys 211 as are shown in FIG. 2. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, for example, that gripping clusters may be fabricated to contain fixed cleats or spikes as well as providing insertion points for additional gripping means within.

In certain embodiments such as are illustrated in FIG. 1, a removable shoe sole 101 of a modular shoe according to the present invention may comprise an anterior, medial and posterior section, each having at least one subsection for the attachment of traction means such as those illustrated in FIG. 2. In preferred embodiments, the material selected for fabrication of a sole of a modular shoe as described herein will be a lightweight but high strength material, for example, carbon fiber or high strength polymer such as thermoplastic resin. As the invention is designed with cyclo-cross in mind, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the need to select a material that is durable enough to absorb multiple impacts of wearers stepping across terrain such as rocks and gravel, for example. Moreover, in certain embodiments the material must be of adequate hardness to be machined to comprise threads or similar engagement means, although in certain configurations this may not be required.

Additional material considerations include material for the upper surface of a sole of a modular shoe as described herein, which should be comfortable to the wearer and ideally at least partially waterproof, while allowing for the fabrication of attachment points for the sole to the bottom of a shoe base, which must be of compatible material to enable firm attachment. In certain embodiments, a modular shoe of the present disclosure may further comprise a shoe base of breathable nylon mesh or leather. A high-density nylon thread may be employed to hold the heel cup together, which may comprise the same material used to fabricate a sole as described herein.

Turning now to the design of traction means as described herein, as described above, individual members such as cleats or spikes may be employed, or more preferably, clusters with multiple insertion points and various topographies may be employed to correspond to a surface of interest. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that traction clusters or indeed the bottom of an entire sole of a modular shoe as described herein may be fabricated to comprise various patterns designed for particular activities (such as walking or running) taking place on various surfaces (such as rock or mud). Topographies may comprise ridges and valleys of a range of geometric shapes, such as rectangles, triangles and the like, each offering comparative advantages based on the type of activity and terrain of interest.

Gripping ridges and valleys may be of various lengths and widths and may be fabricated at various angles. For example, rectangular peaks may comprise only right angles, while triangular peaks may be fabricated at more acute angles such as but not limited to 45° angles relative to the lower surface of the sole. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the possible topographies are virtually unlimited in number and that multiple topographies may be employed, for example, depending on the section of the sole—anterior, medial or posterior—or the lateral position of the area of interest on the sole.

Insertion points for a traction means of the present invention may incorporate components that will be familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art, such as flat head cap screws (FHCS), socket head cap screws (SHCS) and the like. The selected components will depend on the desired durability and interchangeability of components, among other considerations. Weld nuts may be employed. The friction created by each grip design will be tested as part of the design process to inform material and component selection. This impacts the location of traction means on the sole. In certain embodiments, a selected material will have a coefficient of friction of at least 75 grams (75 g); or more preferably 80 g; or more preferably 95 g; or more preferably 100 g; or more preferably 105 g; or more preferably 150 g; or more preferably 215 g; or more preferably 250 g; or more preferably 275 g; or more preferably 300 g; or more preferably 350 g, in each case when tested for compatibility with a desired surface.

Referring again to the attachment means for a unitary or modular sole of a modular shoe of the present invention, an object of the invention is to allow for a user, such as a cyclo-cross racer, to quickly and seamlessly attach or remove a sole of the present invention to the bottom surface of the modular shoe base. One possibility is that the attachment means comprise at least one but more preferably multiple press-fit threaded inserts on the upper surface of the sole, each insertable to corresponding insertion points on the bottom surface of the modular shoe base. However, the attachment means may consist of any configuration that imparts equivalent functionality, holding sole firmly to shoe base but allowing for easy removal and reattachment.

As will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, soles of the present disclosure, whether unitary or modular in design and regardless of whether equipped with permanent or removable traction means, are designed to be made available to users in pairs. In each case, a left sole and right sole will be provided, the bottom surfaces of which mirror each other. This and other aspects of the invention of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, who will also appreciate the interchangeability of materials and designs, all of which may confer upon each specific embodiment equivalent or alternative functional, durability and versatility attributes. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A removable shoe sole, the shoe sole comprising: an anterior portion having insertion points for affixing an anterior traction means thereto; a medial portion having insertion points for affixing a medial traction means thereto; a posterior portion having insertion points for affixing a posterior traction means thereto; and a means for securing the removable shoe sole to the bottom of a cycling shoe.
 2. The removable shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein each of the insertion points for affixing the anterior, medial and posterior traction means thereto comprises a threaded collar corresponding to a threaded T-nut, wherein the T-nut is threaded into the collar to affix each traction means to the removable shoe sole.
 3. The removable shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein each of the insertion points for affixing the anterior, medial and posterior traction means thereto comprises a collar corresponding to a T-nut, wherein the T-nut is affixed to each traction means to the removable shoe sole by tension.
 4. The removable shoe sole of claim 1, wherein each traction means comprises a topography having ridges and valleys for engagement of a ground surface.
 5. A cycling shoe having a removable shoe sole according to claim
 1. 6. A cycling shoe having a removable shoe sole according to claim
 2. 7. A cycling shoe having a removable shoe sole according to claim
 3. 8. A cycling shoe having a removable shoe sole according to claim
 4. 9. A removable shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the shoe sold is modular.
 10. A removable shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein the shoe sole is fabricated of material selected from the group consisting of carbon, thermoplastic, rubber, metal, fiberglass and graphite.
 11. The removable shoe sole according to claim 1, wherein each traction means is affixed at the insertion points using an engagement means selected from the group consisting of flat head cap screws, socket head cap screws, T-nuts, and M5 nuts.
 12. The removable shoe sole according to claim 10, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 75 grams.
 13. The removable shoe sole according to claim 12, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 80 grams.
 14. The removable shoe sole according to claim 13, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 95 grams.
 15. The removable shoe sole according to claim 14, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 100 grams.
 16. The removable shoe sole according to claim 15, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 150 grams.
 17. The removable shoe sole according to claim 16, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 200 grams.
 18. The removable shoe sole according to claim 17, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 250 grams.
 19. The removable shoe sole according to claim 18, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 300 grams.
 20. The removable shoe sole according to claim 19, wherein the material has coefficient of friction of at least 350 grams. 